Conduit for electric railways



A (No Model.) heats-Sheet l.

I'. E. DEGBNHARDT. G'QNDUIT ron ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 458,61. Patented Sept. 1, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Bunt 2.

F. E. DBGENHARDT. ooNDUIT PoR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No.4.5a,6,19. Patented sepz.1,1a91.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. DEGENHARDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLlNOIS.

CONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

BPEGIFCATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 458,619, dated September 1, 1891.

Application tiled November 21, 1890. SeriaLNo. 372.171. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. DEGEN- tIARDT, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Condnits for Electric Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in conduits for electric railways and the devices therewith, and has for its object to provide convenient means for conducting the current of electricity through an insulated conductor to a moving car containing a motor. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a cross-section; Fig. 3, a side-view of the exterior drainage-conduit, showing the strengthening-linges and the end flanges by means of which the several sections are secured together. Fig. 4 is a detail; Figs. 5 and 6, cross-sections of conduits provider? with feeder-wires, and Fig. 7 is a side view of the same.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures.

A is an exteriordrainage-conduit provided at intervals with strengthening-flanges B B, also at intervals with the boxes C C, from which lead the pipes D to the sewer or other dischargingpoints. 4Within the drainageconduit are the sections E E, U-shaped in cross-section and provided with ends E' E',

so as to form each an independent box or channel,which is filled nearly full of a heavy oil or other insulating., jiuid, as indicated in the figures. Toward the ends of each of those boxes and about the bottom 'thereof are the arc-shaped ribs E2 E2, adapted to re.- ceive and hold in position the grooved insulators E3 E3, in which rests the continuous conductor E4.

Located 'upon both sides of the box E and near the ends thereof are U-shaped supports F, adapted to receive from above, and thus support the transverse plates F F', on which rest the ends F2 F2 of the spring-plate F, which is secured to the top or lid G of the box E. This lid is UJI-shaped in cross-section and adapted to fit down upon and exterior to the edges and ends of the box E, as indicated in above figures.

r are the upper or surface plates, which lie above the entire conduitand lapproach 5 3 each other, so as to form a slot, as indicated, and the lid G is provided with upwardly-inclined sides and terminates il: alongitudinal rib from end to end of the lid. The sides of the lid and the sides of the rib are faced with sheets of metal G2 G2, which bear against similar longitudinal ribs of insulation G G", which ribs in turn inclose.a .central longitudinal metallic rib Gi.

Iieneath the insulated strips-t1"3 Gs and 65 within the surface plates G2 G2, and hence flat upon the body of the lid proper, is disposed the insulating-plate G5, which is provided at intervals with apertures through which project the downwardly-extending pins H, in electrical connection with the insulated strip G. Eachof these pins is surrounded by an insulation-sleeve J and a washer K to insulate it from the body of the cover or top G. The lower ends of such pins are scrcwthreaded, and ou each is secured the contactarm L, which carries the shoe M and is held in position by the nuts N N. Theconnection between the pin Il and the arm L may be placed farther down within the box E, so as 8o to bring all the parts beneath the surface of the Qil within such hole, if the same is found to be necessary in any given case.

The details ot the construction devices maybe greatly changed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The construction between the ends of the covers of the boxes and the manner of supporting the box E within the conduit A and the method of securing'the conductor .E in 9o position and insulating the same are not material to my invention.

0 is the trolley-wheel, shown as having depressed one end of the box-lid,so as lo bring the contact-arm L down and force its shoe M against the conductor Ei, so .as to lead the current to the car above.

V V are U-shaped connection-pieces adapted to connect adjacent ends of boxes when the same are set on inclines or levels and so asto zoo lassen permit the overliow-tluid i rom one box to pass to the next, as illustrated in Fig. .-t.

Fig. 1 shows a cross-parl-ition 'l in the box or trough. I

' S is a feed-comluctor insulated and disposed along the bottom' ot' the conduit or along the side thereof. ln the latter case it will pass through the boxes S', which contain, preferably, insulation S2. From each box leads the pipe S, carrying the short insulated conductor S5, connected by the connector S3 with abared portion-ot` the feed-conductor. This short wire connects also by a connector S with the conductor Et. In like manner a connection is -made from the conductor S when in the conduit to the conductor Et.

The use .and operation of my invention are as follows: The exterior drainage-conduit is placed in position, being strengthened by the flanges, and the several sections thereof are bolted together at their ends, as indicated,

suitable packing heilig placed between them,

. so as to make a continuous drainage-conduit.

This conduit is provided at intervals with the boxes or man-holes C, whereby access may be had to the interior without disturbing the box which contains the conductors. man-holes are constructed with suitable connections with the sewer or waste pipe, so a's to carry otr surplus water. The drainageconduits thus placed in position are open at the top, and the boxes E E are dro^ pod therein iny sections, being supported by arms or lugs on the boxes and ledges on the inner surface of the conduit. The conductor E* is of course drawn through the connecting-apertures between the successive sections, so as to pass through the box E in the manner indicated, and the parts are. suitably insulated and packed, so that there is no open connection 'between the successive boxes E E, except when the connections V Y are used. The conductor E? is supported upon the insulators E3, which insulators are dropped into position from above and rest upon the rib E. The cross-plates F are now in like mannerdropped into the U-shaped supports F. The lids are then dropped into position from above, and

they rest upon the spring F, the ends of which are'suppgrted on the plates F F. In this postionthe shoes M are not in contact with the conductor E, The ends of these lids are preferably connected so as to rise and fall together, though this is not essential to the operation of my improvements. The surface plates are then suitably secured in position,

and the apparat-us is ready for use. A current is supplied to the conductor E4, and when the car passes along with a suitable trolley O in contact with the conductor E4 it is the intention that, as indicated in Fig. l, the ends of 'the box-lids will be depressed, so as to bring the shoe .M down upon and with a sliding contact against the conductor E, whereupon a connection from suoli conductor through the shoe M, spring contacten-lu L, pin II, and strip G will be made from the conductor to the motor on the car and will be insulated througln out. As the car passes on, thc connection will be iliade al the other end of the strip, and when thc car reaches thc end of the strip G* a con tact will have been made with the next succeeding strip in the same manner, so that as the car moves along a continuous current is supplied to the motor. A very narrow slot must of necessity intervene between the opposed surfaces of the plates G2 and G', and through such slot a certain amount of wateror moisture will descend. This, however, will be carried down by the overhanging edges of the lid ,into the lower portion of thc drainageconduit, and thence will be carried to 'the sewer. 'lhe construction of the parts is such that when the lid is forced down the exposed surface of this upper longitudinal ri-b will never be below the lower extremity or margin of the sides of the slot in which it lies, and hence the only channel ever open for the descent of water and the like into the drainage-conduit will be that it-thc narrow slit or slot between the opposed surface of such rib and the plates G. The cross-sectional area of such slot is so small as compared with the drainage-channel as to preclude the ,possibility of the latterbeing filled with water; but should it become so the sealing-oil--such as crude and heavy petroleum or oils known to the trade as London or dead resin -in the boxes, being heavier' than such water, vwill still remain in the bottom of the boxes and will protect the contacts being made with the conductor E4. e Moreover, the upper chamber formed between the box and its lid, heilig nearly full of oil,will become an air-pressure chamberas soon as the water rests on the margin, of the ovcrhanging lid, and any further rise of the water will not sufficiently compress the air in the upper part of such chamber to el'tect the operation therein, for the slit or slot between the opposed surface of the rib and the surface-plates is so narrow in crossfsection that no real column of water can exist therein and no great hydrostatic pressure can be applied therefrom, even though the entire conduit be filled with water to the surface of the street.

l-By using the pipe connection V to connect A 'ous that. my devices are equally applicable tol a three-wire system. I n some cases it may be desirable to dispense witl'. the advantages of having the rib within the slot, and the lid and conductor-carrying boxes may then be disposed below such slotwvithin the conduit. The boxS 'may be placed in the man-holes or elsewhere, as desired, andthe feed conductor or conductors may be protected in any desiredway.

I elaim- 1. In a conduit for street-railways, the com- .binatio of successive sections of drainage- 'conduits independently secured together' at their ends'with successive sections of covered conductor-carrying boxes or conduits closed lo on their upper sides and supported, wit-hin such drainage-conduit.

2. In aconduit for street-railways, the combination of successive sections' of drainageconduits independently secured together at x5 their ends with successive sections of conductor-carrying boxes or conduits supported within such drainage-"conduits, such conductor-supporting boxes being upwardly open A and provided with covers havingoverhan gin g zo edges.

3. In a conduit for street-railways, the conibination of successive sections of drainageconduits independently secured together at their ends with successive sections of con- :5 ductor-carrying boxes or conduits supported within such drainage-conduit, such conductorsupporting boxes being upwardly open and provided with covers having overhanging edges and containing each a quantity of in- 3o sulating-liquid, beneath the surface of which lies the conductor.

4. In a conduit for electric-railways, the .combination of an exterior drainage-conduit having a narrow longitudinal slot above with vertically 'moving contact-making pieces, which move in and substantially iillsuch slot at all times, whether depressed or elevated, and a conducting-wire adapted to be contacted by such contact-making pieces. j

4o 5. In a conduit for electric railways, the combination of an exterior drainage-conduit with conductor-carrying conduits or boxes supported therein, and moving covers for said boxes, carrying conductors to engage the conductor, said exterior conduit provided with a narrow longitudinal slot above, the said covers provided with longitudinal ribs closely tting and always'within such slot.

6.In a conduit for electric railways, the

5o combination of successive conductor-carrying boxes or conduits. `provided with'ribs therein, and grooved insulators adaptedto rest upon said ribs and to support the conductor within such box. t

7. In an electric street-railway, the combination of successive conductorcarrying conduits or boxes, each provided with side brackets or supports within, and transverse plates to rest upon said wbrackets and receive the io ends of the spring 1idsupports.

8. In a cbnduit'for street-railwayshthe com bination of a conduit provided with a narrow slot above with a moving part having a rib wit-hin such slot, said rib consisting of cxterior surface plates and an interior conducting-plate surrounded by insulation, and a conductor and contacting parts connected with such cond ucting-plate, so that when the latter is depressedfin the slot it is electrically in contact with the conductor; .7o

9. In a conduit for electric street-railways, the combination of a series of boxes in which the conductor is disposed withaseries of lids, one for each of said boxes, said lids provided each with an upper rib having an insulated longitudinal conducting-section and with con tactors v projecting into such boxes, so that when the lid is depressed the rib is in connec- 'tion with the conductor.

10. Inaconduit for electricstreet-railways, 8.o the combination of a series of boxes in which the conductor is disposed with a series of lids, one for each of said boxes, said lids provided each with 'an upper rib having an insulated longitudinal conducting-section andw th contactors projecting into such boxes, so that when the lid is depressed the rib is in contact with the conductor and a quantity of insulating-liquid in such boxes, so that the contacts are made beneath the surface of the liquid. go

11. In a conduit for electric street-railways, the combination ot' a series of conductor-carrying boxes end to end and containing insulating-liquid with 1connecting U-shaped pipes which open into the upper parts of adjacent ends of such boxes.

12. In a conduitfor electricstreet-ralways, the combination of a series of conductor-carrying boxes end to end, with insulating-liquid tlieremanda series of partitions'l therein.

18. In a conduit for electric street-railways, the combination of a series of conductor-carrying boxes end to end,with insulating-liquid therein, and a feed-conductor disposed along such boxes'and connected at intervals with :o5 the working conductor therein.

14. In a conduit for electric street-railways. the combination of a series of conductorLcarrying boxes end to end, with insulating-liquid therein, and a feed-conductor disposed no along such boxes and connected at intervals with the working conductor therein, such connection being made by a short wire and the points of its engagement with the conductors to be connected being beneath the surface of an insulating-Huid.

FREDERICKv E. DEGENHARDT.

IUC' 

